Oxidation behavior of Ti3AlC2 at 1000-1400 °C in air

The isothermal oxidation behavior of bulk Ti₃AlC₂ has been investigated at 1000-1400 °C in air for exposure times up to 20 h by means of TGA, XRD, SEM and EDS. It has been demonstrated that Ti₃AlC₂ has excellent oxidation resistance. The oxidation of Ti₃AlC₂ generally followed a parabolic rate law with parabolic rate constants, k_p that increased from 4.1×10⁻¹¹ to 1.7×10⁻⁸ kg² m⁻⁴ s⁻¹ as the temperature increased from 1000 to 1400 °C. The scales formed at temperatures below 1300 °C were dense, adherent, resistant to cyclic oxidation and layered. The inner layer of these scales formed at temperatures below 1300 °C was continuous α-Al₂O₃. The outer layer changed from rutile TiO₂ at temperatures below 1200 °C to a mixture of Al₂TiO₅ and TiO₂ at 1300 °C. In the samples oxidized at 1400 °C, the scale consisted of a mixture of Al₂TiO₅ and, predominantly, α-Al₂O₃, while the adhesion of the scales to the substrates was less than that at the lower temperatures. Effect of carbon monoxide at scale/substrate was involved in the formation of the continuous Al₂O₃ layers.